NEWSLETTER See Our Web Page at May 2006
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NEWSLETTER See our Web page at http://www.rcgrs.com/ May 2006 A Note from the Barbara for hosting that fun--filled afternoon at Vice--President Jeff Lange your wonderful home in Vancouver! Our next open house/business meeting is on Satur- Dear Members of the RCGRS: day, May 13th, at Dennis and Carolyn Rose’s home. I am writing this message this month to help out our Please check the newsletter for times and what to club President, whose father just passed away. I am bring for lunch. happy to help any club member out at anytime, and Member Roster: Some members have not paid their I was happy to fill in for Darrel at this time. Please dues for 2006. We still want them to remain mem- send him your regards and condolences for the loss bers of our club, and to please submit their annual of his father. Darrel has been by his dad’s side for dues to the treasurer, Steve Cogswell, as soon as the last month or so, and was with him right to the possible. Only those who have paid their current very end. dues will have access to the member’s area of the Website and will continue receiving the Newsletter. In the meantime, we have had two great open houses just recently, and I was fortunate enough to Diesel Engines of 1930 have been able to attend both. The first one was held at Quinn Mountain, on the afternoon of The Electro--Motive Corporation (EMC) was Sunday, March 26th. Both Christina and Bud put on created by Harold Hamilton in 1924. The company a marvelous open house and potluck, and have real- was little more than a letterhead and a rented office. ly done some wonderful improvements to their out- By 1930, the EMC offices were located at the Win- door railroad. See the recent April Newsletter for ton Engine Company facilities. Winton and EMC pictures of their place, and an article on their garden had developed a symbiotic relationship. The St. railroad. Thank you both for hosting such a lovely Louis Car Company built most of the early car bod- event at the ever beautiful Quinn Mountain Resort! ies for the motor cars, but EMC slowly shifted to The second open house/planning session was last the Pullman Company as the preferred supplier. Saturday, April 22nd at Jerry and Barbara Clark’s Branch line service was the first area to suffer from home. They hosted a potluck/planning session the emerging transportation modes, especially the combination, and several members gathered at development of “all--weather” roads for the auto- their lovely home to ’brainstorm’ different ways to lay out a future garden railroad to traverse in front mobile. The railroads were locked into continuing of and beside their lovely water feature that is the the unprofitable service. Once a railroad guaran- centerpiece of their backyard paradise. Many ideas teed service by acquiring a right of way, it was a were shared, and lots of walking around and ‘figur- small concession for the railroad to be the sole ing out where to put it’ went into the afternoon. means of access for freight, mail, and passengers. Jerry meanwhile, was grilling up delicious Polish As demand waned and costs increased, this conces- hotdogs and cheeseburgers while the ‘right--of-- sion grew into a large liability. way’ inspector Barbara was telling us what she would like to see someday. The day was perfect, The motor cars manufactured by EMC, Brill, with light east winds, and bright sunshine. After the Budd, and GE indicated to the railroads that there planning sessions and lunch was over, several might be solutions to the high cost of steam for members retired to Jerry’s ‘Movie Room’ and serving branch lines that no longer generated watched DVD’s of several different tourist rail- enough traffic to pay for itself, much less turn a roads on their BIG screen T.V. Thank you Jerry and profit. (Except for the later EMC motor cars, most 1 of the motor cars had either gasoline or distillate Ralph Budd was the CB&Q’s president and made motors.) Could a light weight train be developed a decision to create a train with potential to revolu- that would have more capability than a motor car, tionize railroad passenger service in the Depths of but be economical enough to reduce costs on the Great Depression. The CB&Q (Burlington branch line service? Route) was already operating more than 50 motor cars on its branch lines and local main line service. In 1929, General Motors decided that there was go- In 1933, Ralph Budd chose the Edward G. Budd ing to be a large market for diesel powered locomo- Manufacturing Company (no relation) of Philadel- tives in the near future. The easiest way for a com- phia to design a lightweight train using stainless pany to enter a new market is to purchase another steel and their newly patented “Shot--Weld” pro- company that has the expertise, engineering and cess. The train was to be distinctive and the design manufacturing facilities for that market. GM had team wasgiven wide latitude on the design. The cri- the deep pockets needed to purchase the Winton teria wanted by the CB&Q was a light weight train Engine Company and EMC in 1930. More than 400 powered by a diesel engine, capable of speeds in motor cars had been “built” by EMC by the time its excess of 100 mph, equipped with a Railway Post completion of purchase in 1932. GM changed Office compartment, space for 25 tons of baggage EMC into an integrated diesel locomotive builder and express freight, and coach seating for approxi- and changed the name to the Electro--Motive Divi- mately 70 passengers. It was up to the Edward G. sion. GM started development of a more powerful Budd design team to meet the criteria. and efficient two--cycle diesel engine, but this en- gine development takes some time. What was lacking for the design was a suitable en- gine. Ralph Budd saw two GM/Winton 201 diesels (Note: Remember the close association between being fabricated at the Cleveland Diesel Division diesel powered locomotives and diesel powered for the 1933 “Century of Progress Exposition” and submarines? GM/Winton used this same diesel tried to buy one for his “streamliner”. If Budd had technology and also created the Cleveland Diesel known how balky GM’s Winton 201 engine was Division to serve the U.S. navy. One of the first die- and its recurring maintenance problems, he might sels delivered to the navy by the Cleveland Diesel not have been so enthusiastic. However, GM as- Division was the Winton 201A.) sured Ralph Budd that they would have an im- (Note: The exceptional life and career of Alexander proved model ready for him in about a year that he Winton is an amazing but little known story. The could install in his new train. Mr. Budd took it on story is well worth telling at a future date.) faith that GM would deliver and stand behind their reputation to make it good. The resulting engine At this point in engine development, Winton had was the Winton 201A. developed an 8--cylinder in--line distillate engine for locomotive use. However, a maximum of about The 1934 Pioneer Zephyr was successful beyond 800 hp seemed a ceiling for an engine size that their wildest dreams. The operating costs for the could be put into a railroad car body. Since the GM Zephyr was 34.2 cents per mile versus 63.7 cents engine was not ready, GM had the Winton design per mile for the steam trains it replaced. Because of converted to a two--cycle diesel operation and add- their lower center of gravity, the Zephyr could take ing a Roots blower as the Winton 201 (approxi- curves 20 percent faster than a conventional train mately 600 hp @ 750 rpm). Two--cycle diesels had and run at more than 90 mph for extended periods. been around for a few years, but they were large, Because of its faster speed and lower maintenance, cumbersome, unreliable, and unsuited for railroad the Zephyr replaced two steam trains. The Zephyr use. GM/Winton’s design was to be relatively light was often sold out months ahead. People were will- weight and intended to supplant the gasoline and ing to stand in the aisles rather than accept a seat on distillate engines then in use. a conventional steam train. 2 The Winton 201 Diesel Engine and Generator System in action at the 1933--1934 “Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago For publicity and a demonstration of its capability, opening of the second year “Century of Progress the Zephyr departed the Denver Union Station at Exposition” stage in Chicago. The run used a little 5:05 a.m. on May 26, 1934 and sped 1000 miles over 400 gallons of diesel fuel from a 600 gallon non--stop to arrive 14 hours later at 8:09 p.m. at the tank (at 18 cents/gallon). The little train ran in ser- 3 vice until 1960. The CB&Q purchased nine of the man chose the Winton V12--191A (600 hp) distil- Zephyrs in various train lengths between 1934 and late engine for the power car. This engine, because 1938. of its poor efficiency and high maintenance, was one of the fatal flaws in the design of the M--10000. In 1938, the CB&Q made an agreement with the operating unions that it would not purchase any From the National Public Radio, “American Expe- more trains of the Pioneer Zephyr design.